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Chapter 119
Song Li'an could treat not having children as a trivial matter, but the elders in the family weren't so easy to convince.
Song Li'an held Jiang Yan in his arms and thought for a long time. Finally, just as Jiang Yan was about to fall asleep, he solemnly spoke up: "Let's just say I dislike children and don't want any."
Although it sounded a bit far-fetched, Zhou Sisi actually believed it. Song Li'an had shown dislike for his cousins since childhood, never even glancing at the children when relatives brought them over...
Lu Yuliang had her suspicions, but she didn't say anything. She was just an ordinary woman who naturally chose to side with her daughter. She only urged Jiang's father to be nicer to young Song.
After Song Li'an's long persuasion, the elders of both families finally relented, but they raised a new question: how to care for them in old age.
Just as Song Li'an was about to improvise an answer, Jiang Yan pounced on him, sweetly wrapping her arms around his neck, and showed him her phone: a trending retirement community in Sanya.
Jiang Yan clung to him, swaying: "Let's go here! When we're old and have earned enough money..."
Song Li'an picked her up, supporting her with one hand as he laid her down on the bed, and then watched the video.
Soon, the sound of their excited discussion filled the room.
"When we've saved enough money and want to retire, we'll go there. It has a buffet, and we can see the sea every day..." Jiang Yan happily swung her feet.
Song Li'an absently stroked her back, a habitual gesture from petting cats. His mind wandered: "No more work. I can go out and play with you every day, eat our way through all of Sanya..."
And so, these two young people, just entering society, began their struggle with retirement as their goal.
Song Li'an had studied medicine in college and was working himself to death in a hospital after graduation. The usually excellent, self-disciplined, and capable Song Li'an was nearly driven to depression by this terrible job. The only fortunate thing was that he had a treasure supporting him.
Jiang Yan had already made a name for herself in new media during college, and after graduation, she joined a company where her career flourished.
Jiang Yan's work hours were very flexible, with no fixed allowing her to work from home. So, she usually slept until she woke naturally, went out to eat, and then went to provide comfort to Song Li'an during his rest times.
Song Li'an was very envious of Jiang Yan's work, and would even try to seduce her in bed, wanting Jiang Yan to fulfill his wish of being a kept man. Of course, the next day when his wife looked at him with eyes full of dependence, saying their future still needed his hard work, he would be filled with motivation again.
Song Li'an's appearance stood out among the sea of white coats, but his colleagues were reassured by the fact that he was already married. His coworkers often said marriage was the grave of love.
However, when that beautiful young woman came punctually every day to deliver food, they all became collectively jealous.
The group of single dog colleagues were so envious they almost developed eye problems. They took various measures, one of which was to get close to Song Li'an and learn from him.
Colleagues often came to chat with Song Li'an, asking things like: How did you win her over? How's your relationship lately? What colors do girls like...
At first, Song Li'an took this as an opportunity to show off his love, until one colleague couldn't hold back and asked: When are you going to divorce? We've been waiting for half a year.
Song Li'an: ...
Huh, another bunch of dogs eyeing my wife.
Song Li'an stood up straight and angrily scolded them for being shameless.
After that, Song Li'an declared that he was unilaterally cutting ties with his colleagues.
Every day, Jiang Yan would buy a bouquet of fresh flowers, along with a meal - braised pork rice, or sweet and sour potato with egg rice, or yu xiang rou si over rice...
Originally, the young couple's relationship was as close as glue, loving and blissful. But when Jiang Yan was shocked to discover that Song Li'an's abs were getting softer and even flattening out...
She was so scared that she hurriedly canceled the extra meals. When she went to the hospital again, she only wore exquisite makeup, a pretty little dress, and brought a beautiful flower.
Song Li'an was so angry that when he came home at night, he bit her, and as she sobbed, he lectured her: "You're just a lecherous little pervert."
Despite his words, Song Li'an still picked up exercising again, mainly because he was afraid his wife might be lured away by some man with abs.
Finally, when they had saved enough money, they went into retirement amid their parents' shocked attitudes. Yes, while their parents were still alive, they left their jobs.
The parents were truly shocked. Because their children felt they had earned enough money, they stopped working. How dare they? What if the money ran out? What if they got sick? People always have all kinds of worries, always feeling like they can never earn enough money...
But facts proved that as long as you take the first step to do it, everything is not a problem.
The couple even specially invited their parents to come play. However, the elderly were old, nostalgic, and not accustomed to the new environment, so they returned home after playing for a while.
Most high-end retirement communities are for retired couples, but the most vibrant among them was definitely Song Li'an and Jiang Yan.
They were relatively young and quite good-looking.
They would walk hand in hand past groups of old ladies and gentlemen chatting, playing mahjong, chess, taking walks, or fishing.
The temperature in Sanya was high, so Jiang Yan would wear a cute woven hat and matching short-sleeved shirts and shorts with Song Li'an when they went out.
Some elderly people with traditional mindsets couldn't stand their obvious intimacy and would couldn't help but gossip. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
But who cares?
Jiang Yan and Song Li'an were living the life of their dreams.
Sometimes they would happily go to watch the sunrise and sunset, sometimes they would hold hands and go beachcombing at dusk, sometimes they would make a special trip just to eat coconut chicken and qing bu liang...
When they returned, they would bring large fruits bought outside or fresh bouquets still covered in dew for the lonely elderly.
Song Li'an only had two worries every day. His biggest worry was that Jiang Yan would forget to kiss him, and the second was that his pet turtle wouldn't eat.
When Jiang Yan found out, she came over and rudely criticized, saying his little turtle took after him, too lazy.
To protect his little turtle, Song Li'an could only compromise by pulling his wife aside to kiss her, sacrificing his good looks to divert her attention.
Of course, he was very proud of his looks.
Such a pure and carefree lifestyle, while out of place in this retirement home, also sparked envy among many of the elderly residents. After all, having lived a full life and finally reaching old age where one could enjoy some leisure, shouldn't they be able to do what they want?
A retired teacher, who often sat in the courtyard sipping tea, would always see the two of them coming and going. She remarked wistfully, "Some people, even in old age, manage to live the way others only dream of."
The next day, she set aside her usual teacup, filled a thermos, and joined Jiang Yan and Song Li'an's group.
In a retirement home in Sanya, there lived a lively couple. They had come to live here in their middle age and had grown old together.
The walls of their shared room were covered with photographs.
There were childhood pictures: two chubby little faces wearing red and white New Year's outfits, their soft baby hands clutching candied haws, gazing at the camera with innocent wonder. There were photos of them in their ugly but youthfully exuberant school uniforms, standing together, unknowingly becoming the highlight of someone's youth. And there were recent ones, showing two people still full of childlike spirit even in their twilight years, with their arms around each other's shoulders, Song Li'an playfully bumping Jiang Yan with his back.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, gently illuminating each photograph on the wall, bearing witness to their youthful vigor and passion, as well as their silver-haired companionship in their golden years.
Outside the window, the old man excitedly called for his wife to come and see the little shrimp he had just caught.